Nappy Concerns & Problems

Wing droop is when the front panel of the nappy works it's way loose and slips down underneath the securing side tabs. This can cause the leaks to gape and not a snug seal at the tummy which usually leads to nappy leaks.

Modern cloth nappies ARE more breathable than disposable. The outer waterproof layer is made of PUL (poly urethene laminate) which is a clever modern fabric that allows air to pass through while still remaining waterproof. Parents often worry that cloth is going to be warmer than disposables when actually the reverse is true.

There is a common myth that cloth nappies leak more than disposables however those of that use cloth know the opposite is true. We get many disposable nappy users come to us asking for help to stop their disposable nappy poo explosions or night time wee leaks. We'd love everyone to change to cloth but if that isn't an option for some families we do have steps to help them use their disposables more reliably.

Cloth nappies keep a newborns hips slightly wider apart than disposables do but this is actually the optimum position for a newborn. When a baby is born their hip joints haven’t fully developed and at birth and at their 6/8 week check the Doctor will check for “clicky hips” or hip dysplasia. If baby has clicky hips they often need to wear a pavlik hip harness.

Modern detergents are very strong and if you use too much it can build up on your nappies. If you find your nappies start to have a strong smell when they are wet, it is highly likely you have detergent build up This problem is most noticeable when baby is teething and their wee becomes strong.

The advice for removing stains used to be, spray some Vanish stain remover onto the nappy stain before the nappies went in the bucket or to add some Vanish to the nappy wash. However over the last few years especially with the growth of bamboo fabric nappies, this advice is no longer suitable.

With a weaned baby, most poo should be picked up by the liner, and the nappy itself should not normally get dirty. If it does, it will normally only be at the edges, and this can easily be rinsed off before the nappy goes into the nappy bucket. If you put it into the nappy bin without rinsing off any soiling, you will find your nappy bin will smell pretty rough under its lid by the end of the day.

You may use many different forms of childcare for your child, depending on your circumstances: your return to employment, time for your parents/in laws alone with their grandchild, your visits to the gym, crèche facilities at the supermarket etc. How you live your life will affect the kind of real nappies you use on your baby, because you need to use a system that can be understood by others.

For starters, I shall make the admittedly sexist assumption that it is usually a woman attempting to persuade a man that real nappies are a good choice. I know there are other situations out there, but the bulk of this section is written on that assumption. Apologies in advance to anyone who is offended by this. Also, I must stress that I do not want this section to be interpreted as patronising: that is not my intention at all.

If you have a child that's a heavy wetter, you know exactly what I'm talking about here. It's something you don't notice when a child is in disposables, but you certainly do once they are in real nappies. In my experience, however, most people think their child is a heavy wetter.

Many people initially continue using disposables when out and about, until they get up the confidence to take their real nappies with them. For some, it is a fear that you might get leaks or smells. Others just don’t fancy being watched curiously while in a public changing room - all logic tells you your child would be just as much an escapologist in a disposable as in a real nappy, but somehow it gets you all flustered knowing that other people are watching your every move.

It can be difficult to source well made clothes that fit over real nappies, as most clothes are cut for disposables. As a general rule, you will need clothes that are at least one size larger if they do up under the crotch, or go round baby's bottom. Also, you will find that trousers may well drag your nappy wrap down, because of insufficient crotch depth. This is more of an issue with a newborn baby than an older child, as the ratio of baby to nappy is quite small!

Research done at Bristol University shows that children in real nappies are no more likely to have severe nappy rash than children in disposables. Personally, I think they are less likely to, simply because their parents are more aware of when to change nappies etc and how well to clean the whole nappy area.

The likelihood of nappy rash increases with intercurrent illness and early introduction of cereals. Disposable nappies give little protection, and this finding helps to endorse a recently introduced hospital scheme arising from environmental concerns that encourages parents to use cotton nappies instead of disposables. For many babies, however, the causes of nappy rash remain unknown.

Modern detergents are very strong and if you use too much it can build up on your nappies. If you find your nappies start to have a strong smell when they are wet, it is highly likely you have detergent build up This problem is most noticeable when baby is teething and their wee becomes strong.

Because of the separate liner, a wriggly child in real nappies can be more difficult to change than one in disposables. However, there are techniques for dealing with this. What follows are some alternative suggestions. Whether you want to try them will depend a great deal on your own attitude to parenting, and how much the wriggling bothers you.

First of all, make sure you always wash coloured nappies on their own at as a high a temperature the care label advises, to get any loose dye out. Bear in mind that while colour run accidents can be got out of nappies, once aplix or velcro stains, it is pretty much permanent although will fade with time.

Some people may think you are mad to want to use cloth nappies! They will tell you how hard it is, and how disposable nappies aren’t so environmentally bad anyway. First of all, let me suggest you ignore comments about what cloth nappies are like from anyone who has not used them. Would you ask a plumber for advice on how to complete your tax return? Well, not if you wanted a reliable answer.

Nappies are put through a lot of hard work given the average baby goes through 5500 nappies from birth to potty so over time parts begin to show wear and tear. That doesn't mean they've reached the end though they can be repaired and given a new lease of life. We sell repair kits and many customers have successfully refreshed their nappies. If you're like me and aren't good at sewing there are WAHM companies that will carry out the repairs for you.